When do you 'step off' the turbo ?

bristolpete

Interesting question here. When do people leave the turbo and resume out door riding if they have not done so already. I ask as I trained indoors from 1st Dec to last Sunday, 3 interval sessions a week climbing, sprinting and general FTP work. Very enjoyable and first winter indoors since 2011 with the new advent of smart turbo and wahoo training plans.

However, I made a decision to sell my car (Mrs. still has hers) and spend the next 12 months on the bike. Started my 2018 calendar last Sunday. I commute anything from 4 miles to 13 miles each way dependant on the weather and ride Tuesday and Saturday usually netting 130 -150 miles a week when 'on it'.

Do people stay on the turbo all year round to supplement riding or is burn out possible ? I have noted recovery from turbo work very good but on the whole wondered if it is literally a winter thing for most ?

jlloyd

I guess it depends on how you feel/what your weekly load is.

Last winter was my first full winter on the turbo with the odd outdoor ride thrown in. Nothing too structured, just a variety of different sessions 3/4 times per week. Come March(ish) I rode more outdoors, but still kept up the turbo to fill in when I couldn’t get outside, usually 4 sessions in total(turbo/road) a week.

In the summer I was almost exclusively outside, but still added the odd turbo sesh when circumstances meant I couldn’t get out.

dannbodge

When it gets light enough outside in the evenings (April) I'll start riding after work.

Until then I'll be on my two turbo sessions a week. After then I'll change to one turbo session and three outdoor rides (Currently two indoor and one/two outdoor).

I think keeping an indoor session will be beneficial (for me)

phreak

I do most of my riding on the turbo year round. Not only is the weather bad at this time of year, but living in central London it takes a long time to get anywhere even remotely suitable for training, so the turbo is much more efficient in terms of time. A long weekend ride is common once the weather improves, but at the moment it's 5 sessions a week on the turbo.

milemuncher1

bristolpete wrote:

Interesting question here. When do people leave the turbo and resume out door riding if they have not done so already. I ask as I trained indoors from 1st Dec to last Sunday, 3 interval sessions a week climbing, sprinting and general FTP work. Very enjoyable and first winter indoors since 2011 with the new advent of smart turbo and wahoo training plans.

However, I made a decision to sell my car (Mrs. still has hers) and spend the next 12 months on the bike. Started my 2018 calendar last Sunday. I commute anything from 4 miles to 13 miles each way dependant on the weather and ride Tuesday and Saturday usually netting 130 -150 miles a week when 'on it'.

Do people stay on the turbo all year round to supplement riding or is burn out possible ? I have noted recovery from turbo work very good but on the whole wondered if it is literally a winter thing for most ?

As soon as I’m happy with the bike set up after a big maintenance job. Other than that, I never use them. I’ve had them around because other people like to ‘train’ on them, but I’m not a pro cyclist, so they don’t interest me, from a riding perspective.

bristolpete

Milemuncher1 wrote:

bristolpete wrote:

Interesting question here. When do people leave the turbo and resume out door riding if they have not done so already. I ask as I trained indoors from 1st Dec to last Sunday, 3 interval sessions a week climbing, sprinting and general FTP work. Very enjoyable and first winter indoors since 2011 with the new advent of smart turbo and wahoo training plans.

However, I made a decision to sell my car (Mrs. still has hers) and spend the next 12 months on the bike. Started my 2018 calendar last Sunday. I commute anything from 4 miles to 13 miles each way dependant on the weather and ride Tuesday and Saturday usually netting 130 -150 miles a week when 'on it'.

Do people stay on the turbo all year round to supplement riding or is burn out possible ? I have noted recovery from turbo work very good but on the whole wondered if it is literally a winter thing for most ?

As soon as I’m happy with the bike set up after a big maintenance job. Other than that, I never use them. I’ve had them around because other people like to ‘train’ on them, but I’m not a pro cyclist, so they don’t interest me, from a riding perspective.

I understand that. However, I decided to buy an elite power trainer in November and actually reaping the rewards as no loss of fitness, a gain in CV, weight loss and sustained power. Longest session 58 mins. Cannot be bad and at the moment feel like I usualy do in May in the third of Jan.

aberdeen_lune

Usually by March I've had enough of the turbo. I've been doing 2 sessions a week but eventually it destroys my soul. That's usually some time late February early March. Midweek sessions on the roads resume mid March. I still think once a week on the turbo through the summer would be good for me. However I'm not sure I could hack it.

w00dster

I commute 6 miles each way 4 times a week. Currently doing 4 turbo sessions of which 2 are tough interval sessions with 2 endurance based plus one steady 60 mile ride at the weekend. I've just had to take a week away from tbe turbo / bike as i was starting to get fed up with it and noticed how tired i was becoming. I think that was a mix of hard training, dieting and lack of sleep (I'm you at 4:45 and crap at going to sleep early)
When the mornings get lighter and a touch warmer I'll increase my commute to 40 miles round trip, keep one turbo session, one sociable (easy)outdoor evening ride and a race on Saturdays. Possibly gentle club ride on Sunday if Mrs W gives me permission.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

First winter with turbo for me, I'm anticipating the crossover point to do more outdoor training than indoor to be somewhere around March and then use the turbo quite sparingly spring to autumn, depending upon how wet the weather is.

Currently, for a <60min workout I quite like the challenge of starting up Zwift and climbing to the radio tower, my first cat2 hills have been virtual ones as the biggest real climb near Southampton is "Bell Hill to the top" cat3 just north of Petersfield.
Thinking of trying two radio tower climbs back to back this week, while trying to maintain a decent pace for me, as a bit of a test.

Mapaputsi

Last winter was my first time following a structured training plan on the turbo but from the end of March the only time I went back on it was to do the odd FTP test to see how I was progressing. I enjoy the turbo with a structured plan as the benefits are huge but I love riding in the outdoors.

fat daddy

I dont step off ..... but twhen it gets lighter I'll start riding in addition to .... until then I hone my skills on the daily commute, which is more akin to MTBing than road riding

Beatmaker

All year round here. A structured hour session on the turbo is easier for me to fit in around family and I get more from it than an hour ride from my doorstep. I tend to ride 3 times a week outdoors from April, and a couple of turbo sessions. The turbo has replaced gym sessions rather than outdoor rides for me.

bristolpete

Interesting all. I think there is scope to use it all year round then. Like most set up in the batcave / man room / shed /garage so very easy to access and able to do so. Glad others out there enjoying the benefit of the turbo.

gsk82

I started a 10 week programme on 1st January. Once that's done the turbo will go in the loft. There's times when the weather is rubbish that I wish it was still out. But I don't have the space to keep it set up for more than a few months over winter.

MiddleRinger

I have my turbo set up permanently in the garage. Use it all year round and I'm in Australia! Obviously gets a lot less use in the summer months, but it's handy when I need to work longer hours and can't get out on the road during daylight hours.

bobbydazzla

I use my turbo all year round. I live in a city, have a young family and work long hours so even in summer an evening ride is inconvenient and mostly spent stop-starting in traffic.

From Nov - Mar I do 4-8 hrs per week indoors on Zwift and don't ride outside. From Mar - Oct I aim for a couple of turbo sessions in the evenings and a couple of outdoor rides at the weekend (4hr and a 2hr)

I find my fitness is better and maintained all year round but I also get to spend more quality time doing stuff with my family, especially in winter when the daylight hours are minimal.

surfercyclist

Turbo only used in this bad weather or dark. When weather improves then ride outside any day of the week for me. I actually don't mind using the turbo but it's no substitute for the pleasure of a proper ride.